Compressor



E. WILSON.

COMPRESSOR.

Feb. 6, 1923.

FILED MAIL 1921.

lio

Patented Feb.. 6, 1923.

Parent carica;

EUWARDA WILSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO WILSON ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

COMPRESSOR.

Application ined March 3,

4 construction, and in which the parts maintain a perfect adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide the compression chambers of the rotary compressor with relatively movable end walls'or plates for the purpose of facilitating the operation of the .mechanism and maintaining a better adjustment and fit of fthe parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved meansfor retaining the floating or movable end walls or plates of the compression chambers in proper position 'and for minimizing the resistance to the operation of the piston.

Another object of the invention is to improve generally the construction andmode "of operation of a type Aof compressor disclosed in my com anion application Serial No. 424,034 filed ovember 15, 1920.

Additional objects will appear from the following description, reference being made to the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a. compressor embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

' Fig.` 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the cylinder in which the oscillating piston operates.

Fig. 5 is anend elevation of the piston.

Fig.. 6 is an end elevation of the com'- pressor plate by which the end walls or plates of the piston are held in position at the ends of the piston.

Fig. 7' is a sectional view showing the Vpassages by which the compressed air passes from the compression chambers.

In the apparatus in which I have shown the present invention theV rotary cylindrical Ahousing 1 is provided on one end with a Wall 2 supporting anti-friction bearings 3 and on the opposite end with an end wall 1921. Serial No. 449,424.

4 supporting antifriction bearings 5. The oscillating or rocking piston shaft '6 is journaled in said bearings 3 and 5 and is intended to be given rotary and rocking movements as the housing 1 rotates. rl`he end wall 2'is made rigid with a shaft 7 by which the compressor housing 1 may be rotated by the use of appropriate driving connections for that purpose. The shaft 7 is hollowed to form a passage 8 provided with inlet openings 8a and communicating w1th a passage 9 in the adjacent end of the shaft 6 which passage 9 is in communication with passages 10. 1

The vcylinder 11 is. mounted within the housing 1. Keys 12 hold the cylinder and the housing so that the cylinder will rotate with the housing, but leave the cylinder free to move vaxially to effect and maintain a perfect cooperative relationship with other parts of the machine. The cylinder 11 is yformed .with inwardly extending sectors 13 extending to the shaft 6 and dividing the interior of the cylinder into compression chambers.' The arcuate length of each of the compression chambersthus formed .is preferably about twice the arcuate length of the sectors 13. l have found this to be a desirablearrangement, although different relative dimensions may be adopted if .desired and l do not restrict myself to specific proportions. Passages 14 through the .cylinder 11 and the housing 1 communicate with passages 15 in the sectors 13.

rlhe piston is in connection with the shaft 6 and comprises sectors 16 within the compression chambers in the cylinder 11 having their outer or peripheral surfaces conforming to the inner surface of the cylinder 11. The sectors 16 are intended to oscillate within the compression chambers in the cylinder which, as above described. are the chambers formed by the radial sectors 13.

The passages 10,l which communicate with Vthe chamber 9 and the shaft 6, as before stated, open into the passages 17 in the sectors 16. The means for controlling the discharge from the passages 1T to the passages 15 may be of any desired construction and arrangement such, for instance, as that disclosed in my said application Serial No. 424,034. Such controlling means may comprise outwardly opening disc valves 17a in the passages 17 for controlling the discharge of the compressed air from the compression chambers through the passages 17; and the passages 15 may be controlled by inwardly opening disc valves 15a.

The end walls of the compression chambers comprise floating plate discs 18 which are ofv smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the housing 1, said discs having central openings 19 somewhat larger than the shaft -6 which extends through said openings. This construction leaves the plates loose within the housing and upon the shaft 6 and' permits rotary and radial movement of the plates relative to the other parts with which they contact, so that they will mamtain a perfect fit at'the ends of the cylinderand piston at all times. p

The plates are pressed against the ends of the cylinder 11 and the piston at all times. When the compressor is operating pressure is admitted into the spaces between the plates 18 and the end walls 2 and 4 of the housing. The pressure thus maintained in said spaces exceeds the mean effective pressure Within the compression chambers. `Such pressure is said spaces cooperates with spring pressed elements to hold the plates 18 close against the ends of the cylinder 11 and piston to prevent escape of the pressure from the compression chambers, but leaves the plates 18 movable radially in all directions and rotatively, so thatthere is acontinuous lapping of the bea-ring surfaces of the plates 18. This keeps the contacting bearing surfaces of the plates and other parts perfectly smooth and prevents the formation of grooves or other irregularities in thecontacting surfaces. As shown, for each plate 18 there is a disc 20 having a hub 21 litting upon the shaft 6, but capable of free axial movementsv relative to the shaft and relative to the plate 18. A key 22 for each disc 20 constitutes means for rotating said discs with the shaft and at the same time leaves the plates free for axial movements.

For this purpose the keys 22 are made to have loose engagement in grooves in the discs 20 leaving the discs free to move axially but requiring the discs to rotate with the shaft.

The discs 20 are pressed against the plates 18 by coiled springs 23 interposed between the discs 2O and spring seats 24 supported adjacent to the end walls of the housing. The inner ends of the springs encircle annular spring seats 25 on the discs 20 respectively, While the outer ends of the springs are within annular flanges on the seats 24. 1

A number of annular lubricant grooves or chambers 26, to which oil is admitted through holes 27 formed in the discs 20, are formed between the plates 18 and the discs 20. The oil in the oil grooves or chambers 26 minimizes the 'resistance between lthe taining a perfect fit and adjustment of the t parts,l constitute important featuresof the present invention. It is apparent that variations may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts comprised within the invention without departing from the nature and scope of the invention. I do not restrict myself to unessential features nor to other limitations, except as set forth in the appended claims.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. `A compressor, comprising a housin a cylinder within the housing, a piston wiiin the cylinder, end walls closing the ends of the cylinder and being capable of rotary and radial movements relative to the cylinder,

and means for retaining the end walls against the ends of the cylinder. y

2. A compressor, comprising a piston, a cylinder within which the piston is arranged to operate and which is capable of axial movements relative to the piston, a floating end Wall for the cylinder capable of movement relative to the cylinder, and means for holding said en d wall against the end of the cylinder.'

3. A compressor, comprising a housing, a cylinder supported Within the housing and being capable of axial movement relative to the housing, a piston within the cylinder, floating end Walls closing the ends ofthe cylinder and being capable of rotary and radial movements relative to the cylinder, and means for holding the end walls against the ends of the cylinder.

4l. A compressor, comprising a .rotary housing, a cylinder within the housing,--

means arranged to rotate the cylinder with the housing and to permit the cylinder to move axially relative to the housing, a piston within the cylinder, floating end walls at an axially movable cylinder mounted within the housing, sectors on said cylinder, a piston shaft, piston sectors on the shaft arranged to move within the chambers be- -tween the cylinder sectors, floating end walls at the end of the cylinder, and means holding the end walls acainst the ends of the cylinder and permitting said Walls and said cylinder to have relative movements.

7. A compressor, comprising a housing, a shaft journaled in said housing for rocking movements, piston' chambers in" said housing, pistonsectors on said shaft arranged for operation in said chambers, floating end walls within the housing closing the ends of said chambers, and means for pressing the end Walls to close the ends of said chambers and into contactl with the ends of said piston sectors.

8. A compressor, comprising a rotary housing, anti-friction bearings supported by said housing, a shaft journaled in said bearings, piston chambers in said housing, pistonA sectors on said shaft arranged to operate within said chambers, floating end Walls closing the ends of said chambers, and means for holding saidend Walls in position to close the ends ofsaid chambers and permitting relative movement as between said housing and said piston sectors and said Walls.

9. A compressor of the character described. comprising a rotary housing, a shaft for rotating said housing, a piston cylinder within said housing, means for rotating said cylinder with said housing and permitting relative axial movement as between said cylinder and said housing, iston chambers within said cylinder, anti-lgriction bearings supported by said housing, a shaft journaled for rocking movements in said bearings, istons on said shaft arranged to operate wit in said chambers, end walls for closing the ends of said chambers and being capable of movement relative to said chambers and said pistons, elements for holding said end Walls in position to close the ends of said chambers, and lubricant chambers formed between said end Walls and said elements.

10. A compressor of the character described, comprising a cylinder, piston chambers in said cvlin er. a piston shaft, piston sectors on said shaftarranged to o erate within said chambers, end walls for c osi'ng the ends of said chambers and arranged for' lapping movements, and devices for ressing the end walls to position to close t e ends of said chambers.

11. A compressor of the character described. comprising a piston chamber, a piston mounted in said chamber for rocking movements, a shaft for rocking said piston, an end Wall for closing one end of said chamber. and means for pressing said end Wall to position to close said chamber 'and ing movements, of a plate for closin end of thecylmder, an element for ho ding to 1permit lapping movements of said end wa i 1 2. ln a compressor of the character described, the combination with a cylinder and a piston mounted in said cylinder Jfor rockone the plate in position and permitting lapping movements of said plate', and lubricant chambers between said element and said plate.

13. A compressor of the character described. comprising a cylinder, piston chainbers .in said cylinder. a shaft extending axially through said cylinder, pistons on said sha-ft arranged to operate Within said chambers, plates for closing the ends of said chambers, elements mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith and for axial movements relative thereto holding said plates in position to close the ends of said chambers, and meansfor pressing said elements against said plates.

14. A compressor of the character described, comprising a cylinder, piston chambers in said cylinder, a shaft extendingaxi- 'ally through said cylinder, pistons on said shaft arranged to operate Within said chambers, plates for closing the ends of said chambers, elements mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith and for 'axial movements relative thereto holding -said plates in position to close the ends of said chambers, means for pressing saidl elements against said plates. lubricant chambers between said elements and said plates, and means for admittinglubricating material into said chambers.

15. A compressor of the character described, comprising a rotary housing, a shaft for rotating said housing, a Vcylinder mounted Within said housing for rotation therewith and axial movements relative thereto.

`piston chambers in said cylinder, a pistonl shaft journaled for rockin@ movements in said housing, pistons on sai shaft arranged to operate within said chambers, plates supported for lapping movements at the ends of said cylinder for closing the ends of said chambers, and means for holding said plates in position to close the ends of said chambers and permitting lappino movements of said plates relative to said cylinder and said said plates .in position to close the ends of said cylinder and permitting lapping movements of said plates and said cylinder.

EDWARD i-WLSUN. 

